1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to floor mats and more particularly to floor mats configured to absorb and hold water from shoes, boots, dripping umbrellas and other items that bring water into a building. Specifically, the present invention is related to a floor mat that includes a plurality of absorbent layers of melt blown polypropylene disposed between layers of needle punched polypropylene whereby liquid is drawn from the upper layer of the mat and wicked toward the bottom of the mat where it is held until it evaporates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Floor mats are required immediately inside most exterior doorways in wet or winter climates as a safety measure against wet and slippery floors and to protect carpeted floors. A floor mat absorbs water from a person's feet when the person enters a room and provides traction on for a surface that may otherwise become dangerously slippery. Floor mats also allow a person to wipe mud, snow, or other debris from their feet upon entering a building. As such, the floor mat must be durable and resistant to the wiping and tearing forces created by people's feet as well as being able to absorb and retain relatively large amounts of water.
Unfortunately, some floor mats available today become waterlogged during snowy weather or heavy rain. A waterlogged floor mat is more undesirable than a wet floor because a waterlogged mat will cause people to pick up moisture on their feet and track it into the building long after the rain or snow outside the building has stopped. A waterlogged floor mat is also undesirable because of the length of time required to dry the mat. Wet floor mats may also mold or mildew if continually left damp.
Floor mats must also provide traction to people entering the building to prevent slip and fall accidents. Such traction is difficult to maintain as the floor around and under the mat becomes wet. When the floor becomes wet, the floor mat may slip on the floor creating a dangerous situation. Even mats with tractive devices disposed to engage the floor may slip once the floor is covered with water. One manner of preventing such slipping is to anchor the mat to the floor with devices such as hooks. Such anchoring is generally undesirable because of the cost of modifying the floors to accommodate the anchors.
In view of the need for floor mats that absorb and retain liquid, products have been developed such as the floor mats disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,578,738, 4,822,669, and 5,429,854. For instance, the floor mat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,738 utilizes an intermediate foam layer to soak up moisture covered by a removable top layer with both pieces being held in a liquid-impervious tray. The tray is snap fit into a frame which holds the edge portions of the foam and the top layer in place. The floor mat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,669 utilizes a top layer that is itself fabricated from an absorbent material that serves to retain liquid that enters the mat. This absorbent layer is separated from a bottom layer by a film of polyurethane. This floor mat thus uses the top layer upon which people walk to absorb and hold the liquid deposited on the floor mat. The floor mat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,854 utilizes a top layer of melt blown material that forms an abrasive surface layer over an intermediate absorbent melt blown layer which is itself supported on a lower carrier layer. Each of these mats utilizes a different materials and combinations of layers to provide floor mat that absorbs water and resists tearing. Although these mats are suitable for their intended purposes, room for improvement remains in the art.